Russia: Russian Communist Party wants to copyright the red star used by Heineken among others

Russian Communist Party officials have launched a revolution over their beloved red star — seeking to copyright the five-pointed proletariat symbol so that Macy’s and Heineken can’t use it, New York Post reported on April 7.

“Sometimes, our symbols are used for commercial purposes, and the state must protect state symbols from commercial use by foreign firms,” said Vadim Solovyov, the party’s chief lawyer, the Moscow Times reported.

Foreigners “have nothing to do with our symbolism,” he added.

Solovyov said his comrades would appeal to Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev to ensure “protection of our symbols, including the red star — the symbol of victory that appears on our military flags.”

Red stars are featured in the logos of several prominent Western companies, including Macy’s, Heineken beer and Italy’s San Pellegrino mineral water.

Most of the firms predate the Communist Party, an inconvenient fact that leaves the Russians unmoved.

Solovyov said Russian companies can use the red stars — but only if they do not “intentionally distort [it] or use in an incorrect form.” But he did not specify what would constitute the correct or incorrect use of a red-star logo.

08 April, 2016